The subject line pretty much says it all, actually. I was thinking about this today.
Where else is like this? There’s always going to be something in MPSIMS that’ll get me to smile. The Pit has taught me more about cursing than I’d ever know otherwise. You can find the answers to just about any question that may cross your mind here. You can find intellectual, intelligent, rational discussion on any matter whatsoever.
It’s a wonderful, caring, loving community. You can always find someone to listen, to give advice, and to talk with. The mods and admins are great as well, delivering justice with perfect timing and often, a witty quip or two. My parents would claim I don’t “know” any of you; if this is what happens when people who don’t know each other meet, I’m just fine with staying strangers.
I value this board a great deal. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve reconsidered important ideas, I’ve grown personally, I’ve ebraced the idea of a fight against ignorance. I’ve made new freinds. I’ve had help through some very difficult things.
The idea of a place where people can discuss most anything civilly (with a place set aside for venting), where people with very different worldviews and ideologies and lifestyyles can co-exist respectfully and even with camaraderie, and where we question things and back up the answers with sense and evidence, leaping above “It’s just wrong” and “That’s my opinion and I’m entitled to have it”… this should happen more in life.
I felt at home here when I had trouble feeling at home elsewhere. I became thrilled with the potential and the magnificence; now I see this as the way things should be, and find myself disappointed elsewhere when they’re not. I wanted to be a part of this, even if I didn’t quite feel eligible.
Whenever I see political kneejerking, pre-assumption, or divisive snarking it makes me want to improve my own behaviour so I can contribute better and bring up the average. It makes me want to put energy into this community to maintain it. It’s like seeing litter in my city - this is my community, my home. It is and can be a great place - our individual actions will determine if it will be.
Thank you Straight Dope. Thank you Chicago Reader. Thank you Teeming Millions.
Yeah, we love you, too, NinjaChick! When we told us we rock (!) I remembered a Simpsons scene. The Simpsons are driving through New York City, and Bart spots some orthodox Jews, with their beards and black hats. “Wow, ZZ Top! (rolls down window) You guys rock!” An old Jew says, “Eh, maybe a liddle.”
Yeesh, hope for her sake she doesn’t turn out like me - as I sit here, still in my bathrobe, trying to finish my homework for the class I’ve got in less than an hour. And, uh…yeah, homework requires me being on the boards! It does!
I’ll have you know that the only psychoactive substances I consumed when I posted that were caffiene (in copious quantities), and a mug of reeaaaaally good lemon tea with tons of honey. Man, that was good tea.
I was just thinking about this yesterday and thinking that although I haven’t actually MET any of you (until the Albany DopeFest tomorrow), I’ve shared a lot more personal details with all of you than with most people I know IRL. And it seems like most people here share more on the boards than they would if we actually met face-to-face. So while we may not “know” each other in the traditional sense, in some ways we know each other better - at least as far as personal details go - than we know many of our “real” friends/acquaintences. And I like that a lot.
